Finneas noticed something strange in 2019. He was walking through a Milwaukee airport with his sister Billie Eilish when security guards started filming Billie instead of focusing on security risks.
It was one of the first moments of whiplash he felt as the pair rapidly rose to fame following the release of Billie’s first album, which they’d made together in his bedroom.
“I remember thinking that was crazy — I think there’s something about a person whose job is to be making sure that you don’t have a knife and they’re just taking a video of you,” he tells The Feed.
“Little moments of things like that have been jarring, but we’re very grateful.”
Since that airport moment, Finneas has gone on to win 10 Grammys, two Golden Globes and become the second-youngest person to win two Oscars — second only to his younger sister.
Growing up in a musical family with a mother who taught him about songwriting during his homeschooling, he has become a highly coveted songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer.
Having made a name for himself in tandem with Billie, the 27-year-old has also been in high demand around Hollywood.
He recently composed the music for the Apple TV show Disclaimer, and has co-written with major artists such as Justin Bieber, Tate McRae and Tove Lo. He’s been dubbed a “pop-star’s secret weapon” by the New York Times.
Finneas has won 10 Grammy awards including Producer Of The Year Non-Classical, 2020. Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
And after years of touring with his sister — even with his parents when Billie was still a young teen — the siblings are now touring by themselves for the first time. Finneas was in Australia in early January performing his new album, and Billie will be here in February.
“This was beyond our wildest dreams to get to have the careers that we’ve both had together, and separately we’ve gotten to do exciting things,” Finneas says.
“So even though it’s been a little bit intense, I’ve no remorse.”
At times, the intensity has meant there have been threats to physical safety; “people showing up at your friend’s house or your own house or chasing you down a street … That can be really intense.”
But they’re situations that he notes aren’t unique to himself or the music industry.
Finneas performs onstage during Billie Eilish’s HIT ME HARD AND SOFT tour in California. Finneas co-wrote the record with Billie. Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation Ent
The key to writing hits
With epic ballads like and gentle sonnets like , Finneas says one of the keys — whether writing for himself or a co-writer — is vulnerability.
“It requires a level of: ‘Hate to admit it, but this is actually how I feel’,” he says.
“And you can write songs about made-up stuff — I think there are great songs about made-up stuff — but I think the easiest way to make sure you’re writing something that you’ll feel connected to for a long time, is to be honest.”
Lately, though, he had been looking for something different.
Finneas completed almost all of his latest album, For Cryin’ Out Loud!, by jamming with a band before picking through the audio recordings and weaving them together. Credit: Jim Dyson/Getty Images
“The first time you write a song, you find an open G chord on a guitar, really inspiring,” he says.
“And then once you write 10 songs, you look for something new to inspire yourself.”
Despite having the ability to build songs independently, he set out to write his latest album mostly live with a band of mates. The group spent 14 days improvising before Finneas picked through the hours of tape and weaved together the album, For Cryin’ Out Loud!
“I was looking for a thing to re-inspire myself and this definitely did it.”
